Tread Perilously

Tread Perilously's return to the time loop brings them, at long last, to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with an episode called "As I Have Always Been." When Fitz's time drive begins to break down, Daisy finds herself reliving the same 90 minutes or so. She eventually discovers Coulson can remember every time loop and that they've been stuck in the cycle for a very long time. Simmons seemingly has the answer to their problem, but she keeps dying before they can learn the truth about the time drive. Can they find a work around? Will Enoch lend a hand or is he the real threat? Justin stumbles on the name Enver Gjokaj and nicknames the rest of the team via their most obvious traits. Erik wishes for Mack to turn up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Justin learns the fate of Phil Coulson. The Chronicoms get compared to both the Watchers and the Observers. Naturally enough, the weeds lead to a discussion of The Shield. Whedon talk also occurs. Lonni from Andor makes a surprise appearanc

Tread Perilously returns to the timey-wimey with a month they just had to call "Let's Do The Time Loop Again!" First up: an episode of Fringe known as "White Tulip." When Olivia, Peter, and Walter are called to the scene of a train car filled with corpses, it soon becomes clear a former MIT professor may be to blame. Walter quickly discovers the scientist is trying to use time travel to seemingly save his fiancée who perished several months earlier. Walter has his own experience with grief leading to mad science. Will he be able to talk the other scientist down from his experiment before more people die? Erik and Justin like Fringe and make no bones about it. But they also like to make fun of J.J. Abrams, so they quickly get into the weeds with that. Star John Noble quickly proves to be the episode MVP, but guest star Peter Weller gives him a run for his money. Justin determines the three premises of Fringe. He also recounts how he derailed his calculus class. Erik presents more thoughts on Ghostbusters: Froz

Tread Perilously's WandaVision month concludes with an episode of Modern Family called "New Kids on the Block." While Alex deals with the reality of doing research in Antarctica, Hayley, Claire, and Phil contend with the reality of Hayley's twins -- who will not go to sleep. Jay needs to cut a new commercial, which Manny uses as a chance to get a director credit. But when Jay reveals his lead voice actor is Manny's ex, will Gloria teach her son the way to win his lost love back? Meanwhile, Cameron's plan to bond with some at-risk youths from the high school goes horribly wrong. Erik and Justin face their first episode of Modern Family. The cast gets high marks with Sofia Vergara and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as standouts. Ed O'Neil remains a national treasure. Ty Burrell's Phil also proves to be a strong character. Andor and Doctor Who dominate the weeds as the pair need to talk about revelations in recent episodes of both shows. Erik determines the real end of The Office. Justin offers a few thoughts on the Eur

Tread Perilously's WandaVision month continues with an episode of Malcolm in the Middle called "Living Will." Hal's inability to make a decision comes to the fore when he is given power of attorney for a neighbor currently in a vegetative state. With doctors, family, and other neighbors encouraging him to make a choice, will Hal be able to decide if the man lives or dies? Meanwhile, Craig reaches out to the boys about learning to fight dirty so he can take on a long-term bully. But when the bully turns out to be family with an offer to run a chain of gymnasiums, will Craig fold? Erik tries to recall why his younger self didn't want to watch Malcolm in the Middle. Justin remembers his time with the show. WandaVision matters more than it has in previous weeks. Bryan Cranston proves, once again, that he is a great actor. Jane Kaczmarek also gets her flowers. Justin offers some of the Malcolm lore. Erik determines movies that are worse than Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. David Anthony Higgins' origin is revealed. Th

Tread Perilously's WandaVision month enters Quality Time territory with an episode of Family Ties called "Suzanne Takes You Down." When Elyse's friend, Suzanne, admits to feeling unfulfilled now that the kids have left for college, she hires the forlorn friend to do some clerical work. But almost immediately, Suzanne begins offering opinions about architectural features of an upcoming project. Soon, Elyse is doing double the work while convincing clients that much of her friend's suggestions are not feasible or against building code. And just when she has had enough, Suzanne's husband announces he wants a divorce. Will Elyse find the courage to fire Suzanne? Erik and Justin immediately credit frequent guest Paul Pakler's former podcast, Quality Time with Family Ties, for covering the episode first. Erik's bias against Ethan Hawke makes an appearance. The initial premise of Family Ties gets examined as the episode has very little to do with the kids. Justin appraises the talents of Michael Gross and Meredith B

Tread Perilously's WandaVision month continues with an episode The Brady Bunch called "The Winner." When Cindy comes home with a trophy for winning a jacks tournament at the park, Bobby laments that he is the only member of the family to lack an award. Talking it over with Mike and Carol, he resolves to win at something. Anything. It soon leads to strife with the other kids as he becomes an increasingly sore loser. But will the Kartoon King offer him the chance to be the right sort of winner? And will Bobby learn the true value of competition without Mike lecturing on the topic? Justin finally watches his first true episode of The Brady Bunch and is amazed to see Mike without a perm. He also determines the series' premise. Jackie Coogan's Disease gets a new awareness advocate. Ann B. Davis is honored, even if she is mistaken for another actor. Gary Cole is celebrated for his contributions to Brady lore. Geography Corner somehow summons 7th Heaven. The pair recast Thomas Magnum for some reason. Robert Reed's f

Tread Perilously settles in for a month of shows that inspired WandaVision with an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show called "Racy Tracy Rattigan". With Alan Brady out on vacation, Rob and the others must write the next two shows for guest host "Racy" Tracy Rattigan. The British actor proves to be funny and charming, but his immediate interest in Laura leaves Rob a little unnerved. It becomes full-tilt unnerved when Rattigan comes to their home under the guise of working on sketches, but ends up coming on to Laura. Will Rob's response sink Rattigan's commitment to the show? Erik returns from his own vacation with some rusty podcast skills and the wrong microphone. He and Justin get back into the swing of things via a chat about Jack Quaid and the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. The pair also fall in love with Mary Tyler Moore all over again. Justin learns the Morey Amsterdam joke and immediately warms to Rose Marie. Guest star Richard Dawson gets some flowers even as Erik tries to determine if Rattigan is s

Tread Perilously concludes its month of celebrating the new series Doctor Who with "Listen." As Clara goes on a somewhat uncomfortable date, The Doctor realizes he is talking to himself and supposes there might be a more sinister reason for it. Soon, he picks up Clara for a trip to the past, the future, and an impossible era to learn the truth behind the perfect hider and the monster under your bed. All the while, Clara's date, Danny Pink, seems to be at the center of the investigation. But is that to do with Clara? And who is the boy Clara finds in a barn somewhere far from England? Justin and Erik discuss Steven Moffat as a writer and his seeming resistance to platonic friendships. Actor Samuel Anderson gets praise for his performance in this episode ... but not as Danny Pink. "Listen" is unavoidably compared to "Blink," which leads to some surprising analysis of both. Does modern Doctor Who work best when Moffat and Russell T. Davies are involved at the same time? Erik once again suggests Matt Smith left e

Tread Perilously's Doctor Who month continues with a new series episode called "Midnight." While Donna relaxes in a spa on the planet Midnight, The Doctor decides to take an excursion to the so-called Sapphire Falls. It is an eight-hour trip, but a couple of hours in, the transport stops and the mechanic in the flight deck spots movement where no living thing is supposed to be. Soon, something makes its way into the passenger compartment and it wants nothing more than to inhabit The Doctor. The dry air in Erik's hotel room leads to a lot of throat clearing. A brief discussion of classic Who and X-Men comics breaks out. Justin turns out to have the same reaction Erik had to the episode when it first aired. They delve into that appraisal. The presence of actor David Troughton also gets examined. The Tenth Doctor's flaws are on display even as he proves to be right in a compartment full of panicky humans. Erik continues to be surprised by the lack of Rutans in the new series. The issue of continuity with Big Fin

Tread Perilously celebration of Doctor Who's second 20 years on the air continues with "73 Yards." When The Doctor and Ruby Sunday land on the Welsh coastline, he breaks a fairy circle and immediately disappears. Ruby's key will not work in the TARDIS and she is forced to fend for herself in the nearby Welsh town. Making her way home to London, she also discovers a mysterious woman is hovering 73 yards away. Whenever anyone tries to talk to the woman, she inspires fear in them and a contempt for Ruby. With The Doctor still missing, Ruby gets on with her life, but will a chance reference to something he told her reveal her true purpose? Justin and Erik discuss the personalities of the 14th and 15th Doctors. They also get lost in the Welsh countryside for a time. Erik gets into the trouble of modern Doctor Who discourse. Millie Gibson proves to be a capable lead as she takes point in this episode. Erik outlines the true mystery of faith. The ambiguity of the episode leads to differing opinions. Erik's critical

Tread Perilously's annual Doctor Who month celebrates 20 years of the new series, starting with the Jodie Whittaker era episode "Eve of the Daleks." New Year's Eve 2021. Sarah, the owner of Elf Storage in Manchester, must keep the lights on because a certain client always turns up just before midnight on 31 December to deposit items in his storage space. He turns up, naturally enough, but so do The Doctor, Yaz, and Dan. And, soon, Daleks arrive, too. When they exterminate everyone in the building, a time loop occurs ... but all quickly becomes aware of it. Can they figure out the secret behind the loop and stop the Dalek? Erik gets into the weeds about the use of the term "reboot" in media. He also makes the case against Dan. Justin comes to his own appraisal about the character. While some gripes about then-showrunner Chris Chibnall get aired, the pair praise him for various choices in this episode. Guest stars Aisling Bea and Adjani Salmon also prove to be MVPs. Guesses are made about cuisine in Middle-eart

Tread Perilously's Movies on TV month concludes with an episode of Teen Wolf called "Lunatic." Following the incident at school, Scott and Allison are on the outs ... and it seems to be having a profound effect on his wolfy nature. Allison, meanwhile, is starting to notice how strange people are behaving -- particularly her father and aunt. Derek is on the run as he is the prime suspect in the school incident and Scott can't decide if he or the Alpha is making him go feral. Jackson sees an opportunity to get closer to Allison and Stiles proves to be too good of a friend. Erik and Justin get into the weeds with the original Teen Wolf film. The Twilight and Vampire Diaries vibes are unavoidable as well. Erik cannot deny he is a Crystal Reed fan. Stiles turns out to be the surprising favorite in this version of the tale. The problem of high school shows is addressed. The pair find a new role for Bruce Campbell. Justin tries to figure out why the show bothered to use the Teen Wolf branding. Geography Corner leads

Tread Perilously's month of TV shows based on feature films continues with an episode of Alien Nation called "Fifteen With Wanda." When a Newcomer limo driver is witness to a crime on his wedding night, he enters witness protection with Sikes and Francisco as his detail. Unfortunately, the Newcomer took an aphrodisiac as part of the wedding/bonding tradition and must spend the next three weeks wanting nothing more than the 15 minutes with his bride to complete the mating ceremony. And with his day in court soon approaching, he is targeted for extermination. Meanwhile, Francisco's son gets involved with Lori Petty. Justin recalls the reason why he never watched Alien Nation despite being a big fan of the movie. Memories of the Fox network in the 1990s are examined, including The X-Files and M.A.N.T.I.S. The pair also recall what genre movies and TV were like before it all got Whedon-ized. Star Gary Graham proves to be the weakest link in moving Alien Nation to television. Co-star Eric Pierpoint proves more suc

Tread Perilously's Movies On TV month continues with an episode of Gidget called "Gidget's Foreign Policy." When Gidget's father allows an associate's daughter to spend the week before classes begin at UCLA at their home, Gidget comes face-to-face with a more rigid way of life: the Swedish way! But her attempts to get the timid Inge to loosen up work too well and, soon, the exchange student is chasing the boys Gidget usually keeps on a leash. Will her boyfriend choose Inge over her? And what will happen when Inge's fiance returns from San Francisco to discover what's become of his intended? Erik and Justin immediately seize on the weirdness of Sweden as a truly foreign country. Erik accidentally stumbles on a possible Opus Dei conspiracy. Star Sally Field is discussed for her obvious presence, but lack of chops as Gidget. The character's name is also discussed. Justin tries to figure out the premise and its connection to the film. The innocence of the series throws the pair for a loop. Special guest star Walt

Tread Perilously begins a month of movies squeezed and stretched into television series with the RoboCop: The Series episode called "Inside Crimes." When William Ray "Pudface" Morgan's latest heist becomes fodder for the OCP Television series Inside Crimes, ratings go through the roof. The executive producer, naturally, wants to feature the criminal -- and RoboCop -- more frequently, but the cops, the OCP Chairman, and a security detail protecting $1.2 billion in gold bullion beg to differ. Will RoboCop sniff out Pudface's real scheme before it's too late? And will the Inside Crimes EP get more than she bargained for when she enlists Pudface's direct help? Erik and Justin determine whether or not the series continues the story from the film. Characters like Madigan and the OCP Chairman come under the microscope. The overall notion of canonicity also gets discussed. Star Richard Eden's performance as RoboCop is assessed. RoboCop 3 is exhumed. Frank Miller becomes important, as does satire. The relative quality

Tread Perilously's '80s flashback month concludes with an episode of The Love Boat called "Miss Mom/Who's the Champ/Gopher's Delusion" The Pacific Princess's latest Mexican coast sailing comes with a twist -- a wrestling match between "Lover Boy" Bob and Thomas 'The Mangler' Sharkey. The promoter even retained the services of Terry "Hulk" Hogan to do ringside commentary! But when The Mangler's sister has a lovely interaction with Lover Boy, will it turn the kayfabe into a serious grudge? Meanwhile, Cruise Director Judy tries to find a man for her cousin, Gretchen -- and potentially succeeds -- even as Gopher is hypnotized into believing he is Captain Stubing. Justin finally faces an episode of The Love Boat. Erik pitches guest actor Tim Rossovich for the other version of Superman III that never got made. Both are surprised by the show's anthology structure. The presence of the Hulkster, and Caitlyn Jenner as one of the wrestlers, leads down certain directions -- including an appreciation of "Macho Man" Randy

Tread Perilously's 1980s flashback month continues with an episode of Magnum P.I. called "Kiss of the Sabre." When Magnum is evicted from the guest house, he gets to know its new inhabitant: novice writer Betty Windom. Constantly suffering writer's block during her attempts to plot a tale of superspy Sebastian Sabre, she decides to butt into Magnum's latest case. Is a simple job verifying details of an insurance claim more than it seems? Magnum doesn't think so, but when Betty sees him nearly killed by a backhoe, it becomes clear things are not so cut-and-dry. And, maybe, it is the exact thing Sebastian Sabre needs. Erik immediately declares the episode to be a broadcast version of an Andy Sedaris movie. Another bevy of guest stars suggests the real reason he chose this episode. Justin's attempt to recall the premise of Magnum P.I. leads in strange directions. The pair doubt star Tom Selleck could have launched the Indiana Jones film series. They also evaluate Magnum's case and the Sabre story it inspired. Ju

Tread Perilously's 1980s flashback months leads them, finally, to Silver Spoons with an episode called "A Family Affair." When Ricky meets Jeannie -- who goes to the nearby all-girls school -- at the local hangout, he discovers that she's pretty rad. Soon, she becomes his prom date. Meanwhile, Edward, Kate, and Dexter Stuffins face the threat of a strike at the toy factory. But when Ricky and Jeannie get into an argument, he calls off the prom date only for Dexter to tell Edward that her father might be mobbed up. And when her father comes around to the house, Edward faces a difficult decision. Erik and Justin almost immediately make their way into a '90s flashback. Erik also declares Dexter Stuffins to be one of the great names in '80s TV. It leads to a lot of praise for actor Franklyn Seales. A wild Alfonso Ribeiro appears. Justin mentions his fixation on Erin Gray. A bevy of guest stars leads to conversations of '80s bands, underrated actors, an old Tread Perilously favorite, and the best Star Wars knock-o

Tread Perilously heads back to the 1980s for a month of shows from that glorious decade. First up: a Miami Vice episode called "Bushido." When a joint operation with the DEA goes south, Captain Martin Castillo suspects his old friend Jack Gretsky may have interfered with the bust to get his attention. Soon, he visits the local CIA office to confirm and, rather quickly, confronts Gretsky, leading to the man's death. But with $500,000 of the DEA's money missing and the location of Gretsky's wife and son unknown, Castillo embraces the way of the warrior to solve all of the outstanding mysteries. Erik and Justin return to Miami Vice for the first time in nearly a decade -- but their recent study of Michael Mann gives them fresh eyes. Star and episode director Edward James Olmos is the easy MVP for stylish filmmaking and appearing in nearly every scene. A gaggle of surprise guest stars suggests the real reason Erik chose this episode six or so years ago. The pair imagine what The Shield's Strike Team would do in a

Tread Perilously celebrates its 500th podcast by going back to the beginning -- the first ever Doctor Who story: "An Unearthly Child." When Shoreditch area schoolteachers Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton have a conversation about an unusual student, Susan Foreman, their questions lead them to a junkyard at the end of Totter's Lane. Inside, they find no trace of Susan, but instead discover an out-of-place police box. Soon, they encounter a difficult old man who not only turns out to be Susan's grandfather, but an alien known only as The Doctor. And when he sets his time machine to 100,000 B.C., it begins a huge adventure for the foursome. Justin reacts to just how different The Doctor is in his first appearance. Erik recalls some previous episodes of the podcast. Susan finally gets a discussion all her own. Barbara and Ian also take focus, forcing Justin to reconsider one of his previously established archetypes. Erik tries to give producer Verity Lambert some of her due. The issues with episodes 2-4 are exp